The present invention relates to a gap filler that is installed at a platform in a railroad station to fill the gap between a train and the platform.
In recent years, gap fillers have been installed at platforms in an increasing number of stations. The platform gap filler is a device that protrudes a gap filler plate from the platform to reduce the gap between a train and the platform at the time of passengers' getting on and off. The platform gap filler stores the gap filler plate on the platform side at times other than during passengers' getting on and off, and protrudes the same to the railway track side at the time of passengers' getting on and off to narrow the gap between the platform and the train and prevent passengers' falling (for example, refer to JP-A-2005-14805).
A conventional platform gap filler includes a brake mechanism and a lock mechanism that prevent displacement of a gap filler plate by reaction force of passengers' treading on the gap filler plate when the gap filler plate protrudes from the platform at the time of passengers' getting on and off. The lock mechanism is operated by electromagnetic force as described in JP-A-2005-14805 and thus changing the locked state requires electric power. This configuration also increases the parts count related to electric control to boost the manufacturing cost. In addition, the electric and electronic parts are not easier to determine the degree of deterioration at a glance than mechanical parts, which leads to increase in man-hour of maintenance checkup.
A platform with a gap filler may be located in not only a linear section but also a curve section of a railway track. To install the gap filler in the curve section of the platform, it is necessary to decide the amount of protrusion of the gap filler plate at each of installation positions because the gap between a train and the platform varies depending on the position of the door. Accordingly, it is necessary to design and manufacture the gap filler suited to the installation position. In this case, larger numbers of unique components and devices are used to cause a price increase. In addition, there may occur erroneous orders and wrong assembly at installation sites.
The protruding action of the gap filler plate from the fully stored state to the fully protruded state desirably takes place such that the gap filler plate starts to move slowly, increases speed gradually, reaches the maximum speed midway, decreases speed gradually, and then approaches slowly to the fully protruded state.